Comfort
by Shipperwolf
Summary: As Jane suffers from loss, Loki struggles with his feelings. One will seek to mend their mutual heartache. Tie-In to "Guardian", connected to "Paris" and "At Peace". Now a three-shot, completed.
1. Chapter 1

**To all of you who have kept up with this so far:**

'Awesome' just isn't a strong enough word to describe you all. Neither is 'wonderful'. Or even 'epic' (which is kind of one of my favorites).

So, officially, you readers of the "Guardian-verse" fics are hereby deemed '**METAL**".

Which is good, if you're wondering ^.^

_Anyway-_here is the next oneshot to bring a sense of completion to "Paris" and "At Peace".

Please enjoy and see Endnotes for more of my rambling!

_Also: You guys know I don't own anything :P_

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><p>Loki stared into the darkness of the ceiling.<p>

The soft whirr of the fan above him did nothing to lull him into sleep. Neither did the soft cotton pillows beneath his head. Nor the warm blanket that lay haphazardly across his body.

His gaze sharpened toward the closed door across the room.

Through the door, at the end of the hallway, lay the bedroom of Jane Foster.

His teeth dug into his lip as he listened to her quiet sobbing.

* * *

><p>A week had passed with him avoiding the home altogether.<p>

Uncertain of what exactly had happened to him in Paris (or of what exactly had occurred between _them_), Loki decided against spending the rest of the weekend watching television programs with Jane as was their ritual.

His next visit brought an immediate answer to the first question.

Loki had shrouded himself upon walking into the home and hearing the voices of Agent Coulson, Tony Stark, and….

Fandral.

He'd listened from the back doorway as his former friend and ally relayed the devastating news of Thor's fate to Jane in the kitchen.

Loki felt his breath catch in his chest. The dreadful feeling that had overwhelmed him in Paris was justified.

The King of Asgaard was dead.

Thor was dead.

His rival was dead.

His enemy was dead.

His _brother_ was dead.

A sharp stab tore into his heart and he realized with a grimace that he was actually _reacting_ to the reality of it….

He was feeling pain, remorse, sorrow...

Grief.

Loki had stepped from the doorway back into the cold snow of the still winter when he'd picked up on Tony Stark making comforting gestures against the shocked female cry that had escaped into the air.

He would stay away and allow Jane the time and distance to mourn her loss.

He felt, if he did not, he would wind up exposing himself to them all in his urgent haste to pull Jane against his chest and desperately beg her not to cry…..

* * *

><p>But of course, he could not leave them.<p>

Not for long.

Loki had returned later that night, still shrouded from human sight, and come to stand in the dark hallway of the home as he listened to two female voices through the wall.

Nails dug into palms as he heard Jane explain to her daughter the truth of the day's events. He cursed no-one in particular when she told Kari that the father she had never known would never come home at all.

It did not matter that Kari took the news with far more strength than either of them. It did not matter that the extent of her emotional pain was a sad sense of empathy toward her mother's suffering.

It did not matter that Kari did not burst into tears for the father she had never met, instead opting to wrap her arms around her mother's waist and let the tears fall onto the top of her head quietly.

Jane felt pain enough for the both of them.

Loki had never wanted to undo reality so badly in all his life. He'd allowed himself to be seen as he stepped into the doorway of Kari's bedroom.

Watched as Jane wiped the moisture from her face and smiled at him weakly. He bent his head toward her in a small nod.

"I will stay tonight, if it is alright with you."

She had offered the spare room to him before- the night they had returned from Paris. He had declined. It would have made sense then, considering the disorientation he had been so suddenly struck with that night.

But the feel of Jane's soft skin had still lingered on his fingertips, taunting him in ways he feared would drive him to the brink of stupidity if he'd stayed in her home.

But at the sight of mother and daughter grasping each other on the pink comforter of Kari's bed, he simply could not fathom leaving them alone.

Jane had run a hand through Kari's long blond hair and smiled down at her. She'd glanced at him and nodded.

She hadn't spoken.

And he hadn't lingered.

He'd walked swiftly and silently into his designated room and closed the door, shutting the sight of her red face and wide, wet eyes out of his mind.

* * *

><p>Now, hours later, snow was falling outside his window and wind was whipping against the home.<p>

But it was not the storm that kept him from sleep.

He could hear her quiet, restrained whimpers- soft and aching and lost- through the walls that separated them. He gripped at the sheets beneath his hands and willed himself to ignore it.

Ignore her.

He hissed at himself.

_No._

He does not quite remember throwing the blanket from his bed so quickly and with such force that it landed by the closet on the other side of the room.

The door was of no significance as he walked straight through it, no longer of the mind to care about adhering to mortal customs or habits.

Jane Foster's door met his vision in the darkness.

He passed through it without a second thought as well.

* * *

><p>Her room was as dark as his, but he could make her out with ease.<p>

She lay faced away from him, curled slightly in a manner reminiscent of the long nights when she would fight her pain during pregnancy. A fist was balled into the pillow under her head. Her face was shoved into it and she seemed adamant on calming herself down and keeping quiet.

Loki chewed on his lip in what could very well become a new nervous habit.

He listened to her sigh and sniffle a few times before reaching up with her free hand to wipe at the exposed portion of her face.

A picture sat on a nearby bedside table, facing her.

He watched her stare at it for a long moment.

It was his brother, dressed in mortal garb, smiling wide with both mouth and eyes.

Loki felt her breath catch, even from across the room. He felt the pain in her head as she fought back another onslaught of tears. He felt the uncertainty in her chest as her heart pounded and her frame shook.

He could not stand it. His body moved.

He didn't realize he had slipped into the bed beside her until she turned suddenly to face him.

He froze. So did she.

For several agonizing seconds, he lay tensed and ready to flee, head hovering over the pillow beneath it, staring across at her as she glanced at him warily over her shoulder. Her breathing shuddered in the aftermath of tears. He could see, even in the bleak, suffocating darkness the shine of salty liquid on her cheeks and in her eyelashes.

The weary pink in the eye she had been wiping fretfully at.

He watched as she bit the inside of her lip. A freed droplet ran down her face.

Loki reached out as if on instinct. Wiped it away.

And Jane relaxed in front of him with an almost silent sigh.

He felt his own muscles give way as she settled back down into her own pillow, resuming her position on her side. She reached back carefully, and he felt a trembling hand grasp his own.

He let her pull it forward, across her body, and place his palm against her stomach.

Loki swallowed. Released a torrent of held breath.

He scooted closer, his chest making light contact with her back.

And he lay quiet and still as he listened to Jane's breathing calm and her anguish slowly fade….

* * *

><p>Loki wondered how long they had been laying there. Even after so many years living on Earth, he still had trouble following human scales of time….<p>

It had felt to him like several hours.

The blizzard outside whipped snow against the window, coating it in a shadowed sheen of icy gray.

The woman beside him was mostly still. He felt her trembling slow into non-existence, her entire body radiating a relaxed awareness. A finger twitched against her stomach of its own volition as he bent forward to speak to her.

"Should I leave now?"

His whisper blew hotly back into his face and he reprimanded himself for coming so close to her ear. She shuddered beside him slightly.

Loki did not miss it.

A small hand reached up to grip his at her waist.

It seemed a long second before she found her voice to answer him.

"No….stay, Loki. Please."

He brought his face to hover over hers as she spoke, his entire frame looming over her own. He could see her searching through the darkness, pupils dilated and anticipatory. He watched her scan the silhouette of his face, her eyes darting toward his mouth and then flitting away in uncertainty.

Loki jolted when he felt his own tongue sweep hotly across his lips. He felt his head move suddenly, bending down and craning at an angle—and, one instant later, was very much aware that he probably had the most inappropriate timing of anyone in the entire universe.

But in that moment, he could not bring himself to care.

His mouth slid against hers, and he felt her lips part when a small gasp puffed a hot breath into it.

He watched as Jane drew her head back slightly, breaking contact.

His own eyes were wide. He bit into his tongue and tried to come up with the most sincere and humble apology possible. He opened his mouth to say something….

_Anything….._

The air moved in front of him. Soft warmth brushed his lips and what few cohesive thoughts floating in his mind scrambled like the favored breakfast dish of the woman that was kissing him.

It was brief.

Small.

Tentative.

Barely strong enough to be considered anything, and yet soft enough to be considered everything…..

He pulled back to study her. For a long moment, all was silent and still.

Loki could see her looking him over again, struggling to make out his expression. He could hear her heartbeat accelerate in the pervasive quiet of the room.

And then, a softness on his cheek.

Fingers.

Gentle and light, they trailed across his jaw like a springtime breeze in Maine.

His eyes closed when one settled on his mouth. Before he could command himself against it, he leaned into the touch as if entranced.

Pressed a kiss into the pad of her thumb.

Felt her shiver beneath him.

A sharp heat shot down his spine. Loki grit his teeth and blinked at her, his eyes narrowing as he reminded himself of the entire situation. Of all that had occurred that day…

Of why he was there in the first place.

He scolded his body for its ill-timing.

Jane pulled her hand away. He felt her lean back and watch him in the black haze of the room. A quiet voice whispered between them.

"It's….it's been a long day. We should get to sleep…."

Loki's heart thudded hard in his chest but slowed its racing pace at her sobering words. He saw her smile, genuine but tired, sad but hopeful. She settled back into the pillows.

Turned to her side-away from the window this time. She faced him. Gestured meekly for him to follow suit.

His head met the cushion beside her own. Nothing more was said. He dared to snake an arm around her waist once again, pressing a hand to the small of her back. He brought his head to rest so close to hers that they could feel each other's breaths.

They watched each other silently for several moments.

Loki allowed himself to be drawn into the depths of brown in her irises, and nearly fell into sleep before she closed the lulling scene off from him, shutting her eyes with an exhausted yet peaceful sigh.

He smiled; moved carefully to press his forehead against hers.

And spent the rest of the night considering how to go about telling Jane Foster that he loved her….

* * *

><p><strong>'Aww'-ness? ^.^<strong>

Well, I had intended for this to be of a higher rating, but it just didn't feel...eh, _appropriate_.

So I'll likely be posting one more these Guardianfics simply to indulge myself ;) Consider this a forewarning to any minors o.o

Hope you guys have enjoyed everything so far ^.^ Lemme know, k?


	2. Chapter 2

**A few folks** had made mention of the need for a better sense of closure between Loki/Jane and Thor. I decided to tack on this lil' chappy to hopefully meet this request. ^.^

Hope you all enjoy! And as always, thanks for everything!

* * *

><p>It had to be a dream….a nightmare.<p>

The haze of snow and fire trickled down around him like a smoky fog, drowning his lungs, licking at his skin. He felt heat and cold in the exact same moment; every inch of his exposed flesh was wet and he could not tell if it was from the sweat or the melting ice and he suddenly wanted to scream from the agony of it all…..

And then it was gone. The painful murky mist in the black void that had surrounded him in torment disappeared with a bright flash of light.

Sunlight washed over him. Comfortable warmth settled into his skin. Soft wind blew his hair into his face.

Loki blinked against the sun shooting bright rays of joyous beauty across the horizon of Asgaard.

He looked down, confused and uncertain.

Dazzling colors danced beneath his feet.

The rainbow bridge was solid and firm. He turned to look toward the gates. Asgaard stood gleaming and proud. Not a scratch on any surface of any building that he could see. Not a single indication of death and bloodshed and destruction….

No evidence of war.

"It is good to see you again."

His head whipped so quickly he felt his neck would snap.

Loki blinked in surprise. His brow furrowed in bewilderment.

Thor stood behind him on Bifrost, watching the sun rise above the mountains in the distance. Blue eyes darted toward him.

He watched his brother's lips pull upward into a smile.

Loki stood frozen.

"I….how did I get here? How did I get home?"

He does not remember leaving Earth. He does not remember anything past a long night of tears and cries and loss and…..

Thor was silent. Still smiling at him in obvious amusement.

Loki tried again.

"You….you cannot be here. You're….dead…."

Thor lifted a brow at him, but did not open his mouth to either confirm or deny the statement.

Loki felt uncertainty claim him completely. It had to be a dream….and yet it felt _so real_. The sun on his face, the clean smell of crisp water rushing below them, the solid crystal underneath his feet.

The sound of Thor's cape whipping in the morning breeze.

He took a few hesitant steps closer to the ghost before him.

Loki watched as his brother turned and closed the distance. He jumped slightly when a large hand landed on his shoulder.

He reached up to grasp Thor's wrist.

Solid. Warm.

_Real._

He stared into the piercing blue of his brother's eyes.

Saw a smile on his face that had not been seen since….

Loki released a breath and wondered if he had _been_ dreaming. Had everything that had occurred over the past….thirteen years…..had it _not_ happened at all?

Could it be that he had never tried to destroy Asgaard, or the Earth, or Jotunheim? Could it be that he had never fought with his brother, betrayed his father, allowed the Jotuns into Asgaard to cause mischief on Thor's coronation day in the first place?

Was Thor even _close _to becoming King?

The way his brother smiled down at him made him doubt everything he thought he remembered.

As if he had never done them any wrong at all.

As if they were still young. Still….

He looked back at the golden gates. Wondered if Odin would greet him casually as if he had simply been gone for a day.

He smiled when a sense of relief washed over him.

And then:

"It's alright, Loki. I understand."

His eyes slammed shut when a sickening feeling sank into his gut.

He reached up and pulled Thor's arm off of his shoulder.

"What?"

His ears rang with the sound of Thor's laughter, hearty and yet gentle. He followed Thor's gesture towards the Bifrost chamber. Loki noted the unusual absence of its guardian.

"You and I….we fought each other bitterly, didn't we? And I will not pretend that I bore you no ill will, Loki. By the time I realized you sought to threaten Midgaard, I had become just as embittered as you."

Loki swallowed thickly as his brother's gaze fell somber. He bit back a malicious comment about his own _right_ to be bitter and forced himself to listen.

"You wanted me dead, brother. You wanted to see Asgaard fall, and you wanted Earth to suffer simply to spite me. You had gone from brother and comrade to stranger and enemy in the blink of an eye and yet…."

Loki's face felt cold under the unwavering stare of his brother. He opened his mouth to speak.

Closed it when Thor's hand rose into the air to silence him.

He decided he hadn't really known what to say anyway….

He was still as the phantom King approached him again, returning that inconceivably warm and solid hand to his shoulder.

"I never hated you, Loki. _Never_. And I don't now."

Loki stood frozen as Thor's words sank in and he registered exactly what his brother was trying to say. His eyes closed, and the name that went unspoken between them floated into reality with his whisper.

"Jane."

Thor nodded, a small smile forming behind his whiskers.

"Yes."

Loki eyed him warily.

"I don't…I don't understand, Thor. Are you…are you telling me….?"

It was not often that 'Loki Silver-tongue' tripped over his words. He bit the inside of his cheek when his brother chuckled at him.

"I have been absent from her life during a time when she needed me most. It was and will always be my greatest regret. But it is something I could not prevent. I sacrificed my life with her, with our daughter, for the sake of Asgaard….for all the nine worlds. I did not ask you to step in and watch over them. But you did. And I….wanted you to know what that means to me, Loki."

Loki cut his eyes from the sincerity in his brother's face. He did not want to admit that in the beginning, his involvement in the lives of Thor's human family was for nothing more than curious entertainment. He wanted to tell himself that he _had_ been doing something kind and noble. But as the grip on his shoulder tightened reassuringly, he swallowed hard and knew that somehow, Thor was already aware of this truth.

And he was thanking him anyway.

He felt the smothering closeness disappear as Thor let him go and began walking down the bridge. Loki stood a moment, his mind a scramble of incoherence and nervousness and hope.

His legs commanded him to move.

He looked up to see that Thor had stopped, and was waiting for him to catch up. Long strides brought him to his brother's side midway down Bifrost.

Teeth flashed as Thor grinned at him suddenly.

"It is easy to love her, isn't it?"

Loki felt his chest tighten, and wondered if his heart was still beating. He fisted his hands at his sides, drew a breath to clear his mind.

Looked his brother in the eye.

"Yes."

Thor's grin faltered slightly, but his blue eyes continued to shine in the light of the sun.

"And Kari…you…you are a good father to her."

Loki shook his head quickly.

"No. I am no father to her, Thor. She knows that. She knows who her father is."

It was as the words escaped him that Loki realized how desperately he wanted his brother to understand, to know, to _believe_ that he had not been trying to take his family from him. It was a fear that ate away at him consistently….

Blond hair fell into Thor's face as he dipped his head slightly to look at the stars below them. Loki watched him smile again; sad but determined.

"You may not have intended to play father, Loki, but…you did. She may know _of_ me, but she does not know _me_. Not like she knows you. You are the closest thing to a father she has ever known. And besides…you adore her. Admit it."

Loki rolled his eyes as the playful, knowing grin returned.

He did not attempt an answer.

He shifted when Thor moved to stand beside him, looking over the edge of the bridge. A hand clapped him in the center of the back and he cringed at his brother's uncontrolled strength.

They stood as such, watching the stars above and below, being steadily drowned in a sea of fiery white light as the sun rose higher over the Great Realm. Loki felt a comfortable silence fall between them, and took the time to breathe in the comforting scent of his brother's favored cologne. He remembered telling Thor many times how much he had detested that scent.

And, as usual, he had been lying…

He jolted when Thor spoke suddenly.

"Do you remember when you threw my favorite practice sword over the side of Bifrost because I kept beating you?"

Loki smirked and met his brother's eyes.

"I do."

"And do you remember me threatening to throw you over the edge after it?"

Loki blinked and felt his eyes widen.

"I…I do…."

He felt his muscles coil in alarm as Thor's eyes darkened with mischief and the hand at his back gripped his shirt firmly. White teeth flashed at him.

"Farewell, my brother. Know that I love you. And never forget that I played the last trick."

The words echoed from behind as Loki felt his body being firmly shoved. His feet met air.

And he fell from the bridge into the darkening void far below.

* * *

><p>A small shout escaped him and fingernails dug into soft cotton. His head shot up and disorientation flooded through his mind and body.<p>

Loki swayed.

Reached out blindly.

Felt warm skin meet his hand.

He fought to focus as his eyes opened to take in the sunlight streaming into the half-frosted window of Jane's bedroom. He looked down when the flesh beneath his hand moved.

He realized it was her leg.

Heat tinted his face as he jerked himself away.

"Loki?"

He followed the leg upward, not missing the absence of the blanket that left more skin exposed than Loki felt he could handle at the moment. A blue pajama top met his gaze before sleepy brown eyes came into view.

Jane studied him with a look far too intense for one who had just been awakened.

Loki had reached up to brush the mess of his hair out of his face when she spoke again.

"Did you have a dream?"

His fingers stopped their fretting through wayward strands.

He looked at her curiously.

"Yes."

She nodded, and Loki watched as she rubbed at an eye and stared at him through the uncovered one. A yawn escaped her and he momentarily lost himself in the threatening warmth of his chest.

"Was it about Thor?"

He craned his head to the side, his eyes widening slightly against his will.

"Y—yes….."

He watched as Jane nodded to herself again, sliding up against the pillows and propping herself on her elbows.

She eyed him knowingly. He felt a very important confession slip onto the edge of his tongue when she smiled at him brightly.

"Yeah. Me too."

* * *

><p><strong>One more in my head! (So far anyway) ;)<strong>

Thanks for following along, you guys are great. :D


	3. Chapter 3

**Back again to update in the middle of the night! ;)**

A reader (or two) expressed an interest in Jane's dream. I couldn't resist. ^.^

I do apologize if it feels a bit rushed; I found it just a tad more difficult to write than the others.

Hope you all enjoy regardless!

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><p>Jane wondered how many years she had been sleepwalking.<p>

She does not remember slipping from her bed and wandering throughout the house in the dark, and she certainly does not remember coming to a halt in the middle of her hallway, leaning against a wall, and standing there for God knew how long.

But that's where she was when she woke up.

Her muscles jumped and her heart raced when she realized she was on her feet, in the near pitch-black of the hall. On instinct she threw her head around to gather her bearings, and the back of her skull made contact with the wall behind it.

Absently she rubbed the pain away and allowed her vision to adjust, calming her quick breathing and coming to the conclusion that she must have been meandering about in her sleep.

A dim light caught her attention suddenly.

Jane stepped away from the wall and could see that it was coming from underneath the door to Kari's bedroom.

She smiled to herself.

Considered the adorable idea that Loki was checking in on her daughter again.

And then remembered that Loki was supposed to be in her bed….

Where he'd fallen asleep beside her that night.

Or at least, she thought as much. She…._hoped_ as much. She felt her face warm and pushed the memory of his kiss out of her head.

A frown pulled her lips down as a thought struck her.

If Kari was awake in the middle of the night, Jane was concerned it had something to do with the news she had received that day. She hoped her daughter was not suffering, wide-awake and upset….

She pushed the door open.

And her heart threatened to jump from her chest.

Kari's favorite candle was lit on her vanity, bathing the room in a soft orange glow. Kari herself was curled beneath her blanket, blond hair astray across her pillow.

And sitting there at the edge of her bed, head turned away to watch the girl sleep, was Thor.

Jane gaped at him, feeling frozen in time.

Her heartbeat rocketed, her breaths quickened and she felt as if she were about to faint. She blinked several times, considering the possibility that her imagination was running wild due to grief.

She clamped her eyes shut one good time, attempted to calm her racing heart, and then opened them again.

Still there.

Her voice finally found her.

"Thor?"

Blond hair whipped against his neck as he turned to look at her.

She saw him smile softly.

"Jane. She's beautiful….just as I imagined her."

A breath caught in her throat and threatened to choke her at the sound of his voice. He did not look a day older, nor did he seem to be battle worn, and he certainly did not appear to be _dead_.

He was there. Alive. Right in front of her.

Right?

"Are you….are you really here?"

A deep, hearty chuckle rang in her ears and threatened to melt her heart into mush.

Thor craned his head a bit and smiled. Jane recognized instantly that said smile did not reach his eyes.

They looked saddened. Somber.

But his teeth flashed at her nonetheless.

"I am. And…I am not. Does that make any sense?"

Jane felt herself shaking her head at him dumbly. He chuckled again, quietly, and turned away from her. Her heart sank before fluttering at the sight of him leaning over to pull the tangled blanket over Kari's shoulder, straightening it out over her legs and reaching forward to gently brush the wild strands of hair out of the girl's face.

Jane stood spellbound as Thor silently watched his daughter sleep.

She breathed deep and attempted to clear her head. The very idea of him being there, in Kari's room, right before her, not thirteen hours after Fandral told her that he was _dead_, had her brains scrambled and frying right there in her skull.

Finally, just as he began to lean away from his daughter's slumbering form, her voice found her:

"I don't….I don't understand. Thor….I…."

Jane pursed her lips and took a moment to consider the possibility that her usually sharp tongue went haywire when in the presence of alien royalty.

She cocked her head to side when Thor raised a finger to his lips.

He stood from the edge of the bed and walked toward the side, leaning over slightly to place a kiss against Kari's forehead. Jane strained her ears to listen when he whispered something to the girl, but found that it was in the same unfamiliar language that Kari had taken to singing in as a young child.

And then, her heartbeat spiked. Thor walked across the room slowly, and with not a word, slipped his hand into her own and led her from the room.

Jane jumped slightly at the contact. His hand was warm, firm, calloused and _real_.

He was there.

He was real.

_Alive._

Thor closed the door to Kari's room and they stood, quiet, in the darkness of the hallway.

Words raced through Jane's mind, so many things she had wanted to say, so many questions she had wanted to ask…..and now, he was there, and she could….

"I am dead, Jane."

Bile tickled her throat before sinking back down.

_What?_

Even in the darkness she could see him smile sadly at her. She wanted to ask him the obvious question: How can you be dead, and yet be _here_?

Her brain formed the words but her mouth would not comply. She simply looked at him, and the soft silhouette of his face in front of hers brought an old sense of familiarity rushing through her. Emotions long forgotten spilled into her chest, words she thought she'd never say again…..

Except she had come very close to saying them earlier that night…..

To Loki.

Jane bit her tongue and tore her eyes from the father of her child. Trailed the floor of the hallway up to her bedroom door.

Was Loki still asleep in her bed?

She suddenly felt wracked with a double-dose of guilt at the thought. Her chest tightened and a painful fire ignited within it. Her breathing grew shallow. Tears danced at the corners of her eyes and….

A warm finger at her cheek, brushing a fallen drop away.

She felt Thor's arm wrap around her waist and pull her forward.

Jane fell into him, suddenly exhausted. Her face pressed into the metal of his armor, and she breathed him in. He smelled of the wild: water, cedar, and a faint hint of smoke. It was familiar, and yet new….and she realized how different it was from the deep, spicy-sweet scent that always seemed to linger on his brother.

Jane did not miss the fact that she could not confirm a preference between the two.

Warm hands pressed against her back and she could feel the stray strands of his hair brushing her cheek as Thor buried his face into her shoulder.

They stood silent for several moments before Jane moved to place her lips against his ear.

"You don't feel dead."

Even in the darkness she could see (and feel) him smile into her neck. He laughed lightly and she felt a comfortable chuckle escape her. It felt so familiar, so normal, like it was only twelve days ago she had last seen him rather than twelve years. It was almost as if they could just pick up where they left…..

"But I am. I cannot stay, Jane."

Hope and comfort crumbled in the wake of reality and massive confusion. A protest seared her throat. Hot fingers against her lips prevented its escape.

"I want to apologize, Jane. For not being here for you when you needed me. For not being the father our daughter deserved. For years I have fought; spilled my blood and my tears and tried so desperately to return to you. But I could not. I left you here to raise our child alone. I'm sorry…."

He was wiping the tears that were falling from her eyes away, and with every touch of his hands on her face a deep heat settled into her skin.

It contrasted noticeably with the chill she felt running across her left leg….

"But you have done so well. Kari is strong and smart and kind. You have been an amazing mother….and Loki has been good to her. To both of you."

The sound of his brother's name rattled her nerves, the sense of guilt sinking into her gut once again. Thor seemed to notice; his fingers pressed harder against her lips.

"You are happy with him here. You bring joy to each other without even realizing it. And you deserve as much, for all you have suffered. Let Loki love you, Jane. He wishes so desperately to do so."

The heat emanating from his body seemed to swallow her, his words a whisper that her mind could not fully comprehend. Jane licked her lips and remembered Loki's kiss, soft and desperate, and recognized the feeling of separation from them sink in even as Thor's own mouth settled onto her cheek.

Hot breath licked her skin and the chill on her leg intensified into an ice-cold grip around her calf.

"Jane, my love for you will never cease. But my time to love you has. It is his turn, now."

A light suddenly flooded her sight.

The smell of water and wood wafted into her nose as Thor kissed the edge of her mouth.

"Wake up to him."

* * *

><p>Jane started slightly, squinting against the sunlight that glared through the icy windows. The cold on her leg moved, and Jane shifted to look down at it.<p>

A hand jerked away even as she did so.

She smiled.

Loki blushed and avoided her gaze.

She inhaled the spice on his skin, felt her muscles relax and her mouth water simultaneously. Words tumbled onto the edge of her tongue.

She decided to ask if he had been dreaming instead.

* * *

><p><strong>Okay!<strong> This should be the final addition to this particular Tie-In. Mature companionpiece in the works. All my love to you guys!


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